Editing Warrumbungle National Park

{{about|the national park|the mountain range|Warrumbungles|the [[Local government in Australia|local government area]]|Warrumbungle Shire}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                   = protected
| name                   = Warrumbungle National Park
| state                  = nsw
| iucn_category          = II
| image                  = The_Breadknife_as_seen_from_Grand_High_Tops_track.jpg
| caption                = [[The Breadknife]]
| image2   ={{maplink
|frame=yes
|frame-width=300
|frame-height=260
|frame-align=center
|text=Warrumbungle National Park
|zoom=10
|type=shape
|stroke-colour=#C60C30
|stroke-width=3
|title=Warrumbungle National Park
}}
| nearest_town_or_city   = {{NSWcity|Coonabarabran}}
| area                   = 233.11
| area_footnotes         = <ref name="NPWS2012">{{cite web |url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/planmanagement/final/20120967WarrumbungleNPFinal.pdf |title=Plan of Management: Warrumbungle National Park |date=November 2012 |work=NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service |publisher=[[Government of New South Wales]]: Office of Environment and Heritage |access-date=26 March 2014 |isbn=978-1-74293-945-2}}</ref>
| established            = <!-- {{start date|1953|10|30|df=y}} -->
| established_footnotes  = 
| visitation_num         = 35000
| visitation_year        = 2011
| visitation_footnotes   = <ref name="NPWS2012"/>
| managing_authorities   = National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales)
| url                    = http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/warrumbungle-national-park
}}
'''Warrumbungle National Park''' is a [[Australian National Heritage List|heritage listed]] [[national park]] located in the [[Orana (New South Wales)|Orana]] region of [[New South Wales]], Australia. The national park is located approximately {{convert|550|km}} northwest of [[Sydney central business district|Sydney]] and contained within {{convert|23311|ha}}. The park attracts approximately {{formatnum:35000}} visitors per annum.<ref name="NPWS2012"/>

The national park is based on the geographical [[Warrumbungles|Warrumbungle Mountain Range]], sometimes shortened to the Warrumbungles, and thus the park name is often heard in the plural. The park lies within the [[Pilliga forest|Pilliga]] [[Important Bird Area]], so identified by [[BirdLife International]] because of its importance for a range of woodland bird species, many of which are threatened.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birdata.com.au/iba.vm |title=IBA: Pilliga |access-date=18 September 2011 |work=Birdata |publisher=Birds Australia }}</ref>

Warrumbungle National Park was added to the [[Australian National Heritage List]] in December 2006.<ref name=ANHL>{{cite web |title=Warrumbungle National Park |publisher=Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts |url=http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/warrumbungle/index.html |access-date=18 June 2010 }}</ref>

On 4 July 2016, the park was the first within Australia to be certified as a Dark Sky Park by the [[International Dark Sky Association]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/07/03/warrumbungles-becomes-australias-first-dark-sky-park/|title=Warrumbungles Becomes Australia's First 'Dark Sky Park'|work=huffingtonpost.com.au}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://darksky.org/first-dark-sky-park-in-australia-designated/|title=First Dark Sky Park in Australia Designated|date=4 July 2016|work=darksky.org}}</ref>

==Access==
The nearest towns to the park are [[Baradine]], [[Coonabarabran]], [[Coonamble]], [[Gilgandra, New South Wales|Gilgandra]], [[Gulargambone]], and [[Tooraweenah]]. Access via Coonabarabran to the east is by {{convert|27|km}} of sealed road called the John Renshaw Parkway, built in 1966.<ref name="decc1"/> Via Coonamble to the west, access is by a {{convert|57|km}} long road with some gravel.<ref name="discover"/>

The park is contained within three [[Local government in Australia|local government areas]]: [[Warrumbungle Shire]] to the east, [[Gilgandra Shire]] to the south and [[Coonamble Shire]] to the west.<ref name="NPWS2012"/>

==Features==
[[Image:Crater Bluff Warrumbungles.jpg|thumb|Belougery Spire]]
Located within the large area of [[Southeast Australia temperate savanna|temperate savanna]] grasslands the park incorporates the most spectacular part of the Warrumbungle mountains, a region of past [[volcano|volcanic]] activity with unusual [[lava]] formations. Some of the most well-known rock formations include Belougery Spire, Bluff Mountain, Mount Exmouth (tallest mountain in the park), [[The Breadknife]], Split Rock, Fans Horizon and Crater Bluff.

There are many scenic bushwalks and both rock climbing and abseiling are popular.<ref name="discover"/> Though the park preserved habitat for [[koala]]s in the past, a massive 2013 fire decimated the koala population; none are thought to have survived.<ref name = "ABC-brushfire"/>

Located immediately adjacent to the national park is the [[Siding Spring Observatory]]. The observatory, officially opened in 1965, was constructed on the boundary of the park partly because the park provided a light-free environment. This scientific facility consists of several internationally important telescopes and has considerable socio-economic importance to the local Coonabarabran community.<ref name="NPWS2012"/>

==Facilities==
There are four main [[campsite]]s. All camping in the park is only permitted after obtaining a [[License|permit]].  There is a visitors centre for bookings and keys to a number of [[hut (dwelling)|hut]]s.  The park also caters for large [[school]] groups.  There are free electric barbecues available however [[firewood]] is not supplied or to be collected within park grounds.

==History==
A proposal to reserve the more scenic parts of the Warrumbungle Range as the ''Warrumbungle National Monument'' was first initiated by the National Parks and Primitive Areas Council in 1936.<ref name="NPWS2012" /> The area was first proclaimed as a reserve in 1953.<ref name="discover">{{cite book |title=Discover Australia's National Parks |last=Hema Maps |year=1997 |publisher=[[Random House]] Australia |location=Milsons Point, New South Wales |isbn=1-875992-47-2 |pages=132–133 }}</ref> In 1967 management of the park was signed over to the [[NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service]].<ref name="decc1">{{cite web |url=http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkHeritage.aspx?id=N0035 |title=Warrumbungle National Park: Culture and history |access-date=2 November 2009 |publisher=Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water }}</ref> The construction of a network of walking tracks done by hand was headed by the parks first ranger, Carl Dow.<ref name="decc1"/> The park was added to the list of the National Heritage in December 2006,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/warrumbungle | title = National Heritage Places – Warrumbungle National Park | access-date = 17 May 2017 | publisher = Australian Government: Department of the Environment and Energy | website = environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national }}</ref> in recognition of the park's importance as an extensive and spectacular geomorphological site with bold volcanic landforms that are unrivalled anywhere else in Australia; for its unique values as a transition zone between the arid western and wetter coastal zones; and its significance as an important refugium in inland south-east Australia.<ref name="NPWS2012"/>

==2013 bushfire==
[[File:Warrumbungle NP (2013).JPG|thumbnail|Warrumbungle National Park after January 2013 fire]]
In January 2013 about 80% of the national park was destroyed in a conflagration (thought to have been started by lightning) that burned much of the area surrounding the park as well as destroying dozens of homes. The visitor centre and museum were wiped out, as well as railings and viewing platforms throughout the park.  The park was closed after the fire, but has since reopened, although some parts remain closed.<ref>{{cite news
|author=Barlass, Tim
|url=http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/reserve-burnt-to-a-cinder-20130119-2d000.html
|title=Reserve burnt to a cinder
|access-date=9 March 2013
|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]
|date=20 January 2013}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
The national park was used as a filming location for the video for singer [[David Bowie]]'s 1983 single "[[Let's Dance (David Bowie song)|Let's Dance]]", centring on [[The Breadknife]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Let's Dance: How Bowie played the outback|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26577308|accessdate=19 March 2014|publisher=BBC News|date=18 March 2014}}</ref>

The Japanese [[anime]] "[[Adventures of the Little Koala]]" takes place within the shadow of The Breadknife.

==See also==
{{portal|New South Wales}}
* [[Protected areas of New South Wales]]

==References==
{{reflist | refs = 
<ref name = "ABC-brushfire">{{cite web | url = http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2013/01/29/3678406.htm | title = Rain falls on Warrumbungle fireground | publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation| date = 29 January 2013 | access-date = 17 May 2017}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Warrumbungle National Park}}
*[http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkManagement.aspx?id=N0035 Warrumbungle National Park: Park management] at the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.
*[http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkFireClosure.aspx?id=N0035 NSW Parks and Wildlife Service] Closure notice
{{National Parks of New South Wales}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:National parks of New South Wales]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1953]]
[[Category:Australian National Heritage List]]
[[Category:1953 establishments in Australia]]
[[Category:Important Bird Areas of New South Wales]]